Do we need all those databases that librarians love?

I am being asked daily if we want to renew databases that in the past it would have been unthinkable to cancel. Now, since I do most all of my own research on medieval pottery in Google et al., I tend to be discerning. For instance, what do you all think about finding auction sale prices? Can it be done in a webbed environment only? In other words, do we need to pay so many subscriptions? thanks, lucie